Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-12-13

can't get EN- up,
can't get EN- up all da-a-ayl
Reveille is succeeded by a profusion of
calls at short intervals; there is mess call,
summoning the defenders of an effete civili-
zation to their morning coffee, bread and
meat; there is sick or surgeons call, when
the weak and ailing repair TO the post hos
pital for treatment by the post sawbones;
there is stable call, at which the cavalry
company marches its column of fours to the
cavalry corral for the morning grooming
| and feeding. This sight, repeated each sue.
| ceeding morning, fills the heart of the
''doughboyn foot soldier, who is exempt from
| such duty, with delight.
| The water wagon, drawn by six mules, ap-
| pears, and the barrels standing at your door
are filed with a fine yellow solution of earth,
| popularity supposed to be water We are
quite primitive here; no elaborate system of
water works is provided for us; the wagon is
| filed at the little stream that runs past the
post, and is thence drawn directly to your
door After standing twenty four hours in
the barrels the sediment settles in degree,
so that the water is quite available for wash
| ing purposes. But for drinking q system of
straining, boiling and filtering makes it none
| wv Bult JUN, eLAiH dS ~ lS, We
use it, and are thankful it's no worse
The hour for guard mounting has now
come. The regimental band is stationed
here, and a very good hand it is With
out it existence would become still more
nearly unbearahle than at present 1t plays
each morning at guard mounting, has band
practice for an hour afterward, plays again al
retreat parade, favors us with a concert
every Sunday afternoon and furnishes music
for the hops gotten up weekly by the
restless subalterns After guard mounting
there is an informal gathering of the officer.
of the command at the little one story adobt
dignified by the name of the administrator
building'-considerable of a title for so smal
and unpretentious structure TO stagger be
meath. Here We find the colonel in command
with the adjutant and the quartermaster o
his regiment-two first lieutenantS, selected
for their especial fitness for these positions o
responsibility. Here is the gray headed cap
tain of the single infantry company ut tn
post-a man who entered the service befor
you were out of swaddling clothes, sir, an
who thinks his gray hairs entitled to cor
siderable respect for his long and most exec
Il lent service. Here, too, are both of hi
: lieutenants, fiery youths, chatting hecaus
:. promotion is so deuced slow Here, also, ar
% the three officers of the cavalry contingent
: gorgeous with uniformly large yellow shou
ier straps and broad yellow stripes. Thei
aggreSsively flaring facings contrast glarine
ly with the modest and unassuming blue an
: white of their infantry brethren.
= Here an hour is passed, chatting of Il
y events of the day, discussing orders, or seal
8 ming the papers brought in by the soldi,
y mail carrier from the railway station nil
miles away. From the administration bull
Il ing the officers scatter 10 wherever the da
e may have in store for them. The captail
60 to inspect their company quarters al
kitchens; the heutenants, devoid Of such T
sponsihiities, saunter to their own quartz
> or up the officers line to the colonel's, whe
the ladies are gathered, and pass some hit
\ time there in social chat.
Il All, however, retire to their own quartz
\ before the sun is very high in the heavens.
this hot southern climate nothing is do
through the day. The orderly has carri
;, the various orders over the post before
~ o'clock: the herd of horses of the caval
mt troop are down in the valley, where the TIRE
ch afford them welcome shade and the runnii
ne stream quenches their thirst the para
ground, sparSely patched with clumps
is grass, presents a steady, tiresome glare; t
II, garrison flag hangs Imply against the sta
the very staff, leaning from the perpendiC
lar, appears overcome by the extreme hes
no sign of life is visible, save for the liar
. darting about under the direct rays of I
:. sun; it is insufferably. unspeakably h,
III Within doors, in darkened rooms, the hold,
of- -bie E+t In rnc- uacS tho hot 1taaryr hnp,.
=. best they may. Some read, some sleep;
ID fact, beyond the attractions of the post S
lee tiers card room and green covered tat
scarcely anything practicable remains
reading and sleeping The chief end of NJ
ni here seems to he to pass the hours of exile
comfortably as possible; and SO we find
necessarily small libraries of the reading
81 ficers filled with the works of standard
thors, whereby the tedium of these long, L
less hours may I've 5eguiled.
o So passes the day, till the lengthen
ted shadows announce the approach of sun,
and The bugle sounds the call for dress para
doors of quarters are opened wide and FIR
,ur them the ladies, in cool, fresh toilets, is
ier forth to adorn the verandas and by tf
nsr presence lend grace to the scene, The oflit
oh, I h. join their companies, the short line of tro
is formed and the daily retreat parade,
och sole 'pomp and circumstance in which
little post indulges, proceeds smartly +
close. The parade closes the day; the br
sounds retreat, the flag is lowered and $
- in the swiftly gathering darkness may
n seen the forms of the sentinels walking Il
~ solitary beats, keeping a wary lookout
foes. hypothetical and actual.
.,a The sun has gone to rest behind the jag
md Western mountains that from their G
all heights look down upon US, and the r
I IN II, moon floods the scene with her silvery lii
ssP Alb the brilliant southern moonlight is
yond all compare, But bark there's b.
Id strain in the air, rising to itsubighest
,ry and falling, dying away again in soft,
,-o drawn cadences. Involuntarily you bus
listen. Taps The last call of the
Those notes, SO often sounded mourafull,
. arid plain and in dark ravine over the lo
grave of the fallen comrade, now breatl
NE farewell to day. "Iights out, and witt
last notes the windows of the long, low
racks become darkened. Silence broods
all. aud save for the watchful sentinel pa
1 the confines of the post tho garrison sleeI
1sl Carl BlyLer in New York Times,
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